I know there’s a whole tipping culture and etiquette, but people actually tip Starbucks’ baristas? The coffee is already overpriced and expensive as it is; how much more do they want? Is the work of pouring and mixing liquids together that hard and deserving of additional tip money. [Granted, most people, myself included, do tip bartenders though I never really understood why.]

V,
If you really feel that tipping is not needed, then you have never been either a bartender or a barista. For those of us who have, tipping is not a question.
Tipping in general is not even the question of this suit – the question is having to share those tips with managers (who also, sometimes, act as baristas). That is a much murkier question, in my opinion.

It’s not a murky question at all, under California law it’s quite clear that tips are for the staff, and cannot be taken by those with managerial functions. Someone who spends some of their time verifying others’ cash handling, determines when you get breaks, when shifts start and end, and can write people up for discipline … it’s pretty clear — in California — what the law has to say about them and tips. The company needs to pay them out of its own pocket.

What’s scandalous here is that Starbucks thinks they’re above the law. Their response to a clear issue of labor law is to talk about what’s fair, who “deserves” tips, etc., all while refusing to comply. When I was a student I worked there and it really irked me that they were seizing the tips and having managers divide them among management and employees. “But what are you gonna do, sue?” I’m glad someone was crazy enough to do so, even though I can’t imagine it’s worth the effort for him. Still, the difference would have come out to an extra night or two out at nice restaurants per semester. It really doesn’t take much when you’re making that little to make a difference.

Tipping a barista at Starbucks makes as much sense as leaving the change behind at a soda-machine.

Same thing when you order a beer at the bar. A buck to open a bottle? Pfffft.

Non-tipping countries have it right. The workers get paid a decent wage, you get reasonable service, and you don’t have to put up with some smarmy barista or bartender trying to charm you out of a buck each time he pushes a button or opens a bottle. If the bartender or barista is good, I’ll come back. That’s the reward.

And why did the expected tip go from 10 to 15 to 18 to 20 percent? Can anyone explain that one?

“If the bartender or barista is good, I’ll come back. That’s the reward.”

Wait, what’s the reward? If you’re not tipping, the service worker will get paid the same (low, hourly rate) whether or not you show up again. In fact, if you’re not tipping, I’d rather you didn’t come back into my bar. It may make the restaurant owner more money if you come back and don’t tip – but not the guy behind the bar. What’s my incentive?
The fact is, baristas, bartenders, waiters, etc. are NOT paid a living wage, and we rely on tips to help us make ends meet. Protesting by not tipping doesn’t help your cause, but it sure hurts us! By all means, work to pass legislation to require service workers to be paid a living wage and eliminate tipping – that would help us out infinitely more than you withholding your single dollar.
If you actually think it’s hurting your finances to tip service workers, try making your own coffee. It’s not hard. For the price of drinking a Starbucks coffee every day for a week, you could buy a coffee cone, some filters, a mug, and a pound of good coffee. As a bonus, there’s no moral dilemma about whether or not to tip yourself. For the price of drinking coffee out for a month, you could buy a really fancy machine that makes coffee automatically!

in the past few years, tipping now seems to be a “right” at places where it doesn’t make sense. my local deli has a tip jar at the counter when they have the coffee cups, milk, sugar, etc set out, and expect the customers to self-serve. what exactly am i supposed to be tipping? the cashier for taking my cash? isn’t that her job?

this tip jar phenomenon now seems to be popping up at chinese take-out and taco joints as well. i was always under the impression that tipping was for SERVICE, and cooks and counter people were paid out of the cost of the food.

now i’m not sure if not being guilt-ed into leaving extra money for someone doing his or her job is cheap or savvy…

As a Shift Supervisor at Starbucks I understand the misconception between my job and my what my manager does. I’m paid hourly and tips while managers are salaried and don’t get tips. Shifts do everything that baristas do, only they have to do more. Plan out the shift for one. Chances are you walk in to a starbucks and wont be able to tell us apart unless you know the partners well.

in a Chinese take out restaurant, we the employees who take the order, answer the phone. pack the food, does we deserve the tips even we get paid by salary? And some people put tips in the jar or left in the credit card receipt, and the owner keep it all why?